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It’s the little things that make all the difference. Presentation and service at a restaurant, extra fudge on your ice cream sundae, flowers on a date, and the extra bass note in Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.”Okay, maybe the last one, didn’t do any bit of good but the attention to detail and the special subtleties can make a good experience into a wow experience. BUT, can a wine glass that once claimed to be “breathable” and “able to aerate your wine in 2-4 minutes” be that subtle difference that makes every sip one to savor? I’ve received a few […]

What is your goal? As a wine business you want to sell more wine; engage more customers; improve customer service; encourage education and awareness. How can emerging technology help accomplish these things? Technology and wine are not unfamiliar bedfellows. Many wineries have looked to technology solutions for years. Database and inventory management with improved point of sale systems. Reward card programs that reward loyal customers. Cards and purchases are tracked through technology solutions. Tasting room kiosks that can help educate customers and improve service when staff is not available. Credit card terminals to assist in quicker transactions SMS text based […]

Paul Gregutt has written the book on Washington wine…literally. Paul’s book, Washington Wines and Wineries; Second Edition, provides an in-depth look at the history, viticulture, and wine making of the second largest wine producing region in the United States. Paul, wine contributor to Seattle Times and Spokesman Review and contributing editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine has covered Washington wine for 25 years. His longevity and vast tasting experience contribute to making this book the quintessential reference on Washington wine. “Washington has moved out of the shadows of California. My sincere hope is that this book will help you understand what […]

The Washington Wine Commission’s “World Class Wine in Our Own Backyard,” does it deliver? I recently receive the press release on the newest WWC (Washington Wine Commission) campaign. “Supported by more than $100,000 in radio, print, online, and mobile advertising, the campaign marks the first advertising and marketing campaign of its kind in the Northwest sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission.” Exciting! At first glance, I was pumped about the potential. A 60 day focus on value and helping Washington residents discover (or rediscover) the amazing wine in our state. But, does the program deliver all that it could? […]

August has come and gone and with it is the summer that never happened. Weather has been unseasonably cool across the northwest and the brief glimpse of warm weather in late July and early August seems to be left as a teaser for summers gone by. The weather is affecting the vineyards too, leaving them 10-12 days behind. At this pace we could be harvesting the grapes with the Mayflower pilgrims. The cool weather certainly didn’t cool things down across the bloggersphere or here on DrinkNectar. August ended with my streak of daily posts (weekday) stretching on to seven consecutive […]